Lee Se-young Transforms Into Rebellious Runaway Rashta in "The Remarried Empress"

Actress Lee Se-young is stepping into one of the most layered roles of the fall Korean drama lineup. She plays Rashta, a runaway slave who captures the heart of an emperor, in the Disney+ original series "The Remarried Empress."

The series premieres Nov. 4 on Disney+. Rashta goes from having nothing to living inside the imperial palace almost overnight. Behind her innocent, lovable exterior, her ambition slowly grows.

"The Remarried Empress" is a fantasy romance set in the Eastern Empire. Empress Navier, played by Shin Min-a, is told by Emperor Sovieshu, played by Ju Ji-hoon, that he wants a divorce after falling for the runaway slave Rashta, played by Lee Se-young. Navier agrees to the divorce on one condition: that he approve her remarriage to Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom, played by Lee Jong-suk.

Newly released character stills show Rashta adjusting to palace life and gradually changing as she settles in. A woman who once had nothing now stands surrounded by lavish dresses and a grand bedroom, barely hiding her excitement at the new life in front of her. Her bright smile captures the thrill of a world she has never known.

She picks up palace manners one by one, from her posture to the way she walks. When she looks at Sovieshu, her face softens into a childlike expression, and that is the look that wins the emperor over.

But as her life inside the palace expands, so does her hunger for more. What first felt like pure joy at her new surroundings slowly becomes something she cannot give up. The innocence in her face begins to shift, revealing a character in whom sweetness and ambition exists side by side.

Lee Se-young will portray Rashta's full arc, from a woman who had nothing to one who wins the emperor's love. She moves through excitement, longing, and growing ambition, showing different sides of the character as each situation changes.

Director Jo Soo-won praised the performance. "She filled Rashta, a character with a lot of twists in her story, with a clear presence," he said. "She captured the small, fleeting expressions that let you sense Rashta's backstory, and that was moving to watch."

Writer Yeo Ji-na also spoke highly of the actress. "Rashta is pure ambition, but still a character you cannot bring yourself to hate. Lee Se-young understood that fast and pulled it off beautifully," she said.

"The Remarried Empress" premieres Nov. 4 on Disney+.